Cody Gakpo said it was “a shame” that Manchester United withdrew their interest in the striker over the summer. He overcame that disappointment emphatically by netting 13 goals and providing 17 assists for PSV Eindhoven before the World Cup, where he scored in every group game for the Netherlands.
The attacker was never a prime target for United with deadline-day recruit Antony always the aim, but Gakpo was obviously on their radar. A January move for the Dutchman seemed unlikely after the club’s £225m spend over the summer.
In fact, United are exploring the loan market for a striker amid limited funds despite the freeing up of some cash upon Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit. Gakpo will arrive on Merseyside after Liverpool forked out £37m to PSV, but the thought is he could have gone for less over the summer.
Undoubtedly, the 23-year-old is not the type of player United needed with the first-team stacked with wide options. Gakpo did not play as a central striker all season for his club so it would have been naive to believe he was the solution.
Joao Felix also doesn’t have the most prolific record as a centre-forward - just nine of his last 24 club goals have come while playing there - but he might be United’s best chance of a loan striker in January.
The Portugal international has a strained relationship with Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and hasn’t started a league game since September. His manager admitted this month that no-one in his squad is “indispensable”.
Club CEO Marin Gil says “the player’s idea” is to leave if the right offer comes along, and if United do wish to move for Felix, they can learn from their hesitancy over the summer. The Reds have been linked with Felix for some time now but there seems to have been little movement on United’s part.
Their methods of pursuing targets over the last six months have frustrated fans at times. Elongated, extensive talks for Frenkie de Jong went nowhere with £70m being splashed on 30-year-old Casemiro instead - an eyebrow-raising amount, however terrific the midfielder has been this season.
More than £85m was spent on Antony on the final day of the window after the apparent dithering between him and Gakpo. Liverpool also took away the option of a Darwin Nunez pursuit in the summer.
It’s not the personnel that provokes the angst, but the way United have gone about getting them. Of course, it’s not all gloom - Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez have been shrewd signings.
United fought off Arsenal for the latter and now have another World Cup winner in their squad as a result. The pulling power of the club is not as strong as it is when Champions League football is staged at Old Trafford but it’s still undeniably tangible.
In order to utilise this to full effect, though, they need to act promptly and assertively. If Felix is a striker they have in mind, then it would be wise to get the first hand in and wrap up the deal before Champions League Chelsea - who are linked with the player - table anything.
Atletico are rumoured to only want to loan out Felix, which suits United’s new year policy. With the La Liga outfit now out of Europe this season, United do offer the small carrot of Europa League football.
Chelsea, though, could offer the big time. United’s hesitancy when it comes to securing deals for targets blew a big hole in the wallet last summer meaning they now have to only look for loans in January. They can start as they mean to continue by reeling in their chosen targets before other and bigger bait comes along.
Shmonny
20
This is the greatest save in the history of FIFA World Cup. Just look at the time. 123 min, there was no option for coming back if it was not saved.🥶🏆